Reimagining Classroom Environments in Indian Teacher Education: Soft Skills, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and Technology-Integrated Pedagogy under NEP 2020

Abstract

Indian teacher education is at an inflection point. The National Education Policy 2020, the Integrated Teacher Education Programme 2021 and the National Curriculum Framework 2023 have collectively challenged the dominance of examination-oriented and content-heavy instructional systems, and have called for classroom ecosystems which are collaborative, inclusive, culturally grounded and technologically responsive. This study examines how soft skills, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, experiential learning and technology-integrated pedagogy are reshaping teacher preparation in that context. Drawing on policy documents, official educational frameworks and scholarly literature, the analysis employs a qualitative and thematic methodology to trace the transformation of classroom environments from transmission-centred to learner-centred designs. The study identifies significant progress in policy architecture alongside persistent structural constraints, among them infrastructural inequality, digital divides, fragmented implementation, weak teacher preparedness and the continuing grip of examination culture. It argues that meaningful classroom transformation requires not merely policy alignment but an integrated pedagogical model in which technological advancement, cultural rootedness and human-centred practice are held together rather than traded off against one another.